Neil Lennon has explained the difficulties involved in trying to introduce a fifth international break this season to give Scotland added time to face Israel in the semi-final of the European Championship play-off.
The weekend of March 28 and 29 has already been handed over to international football with Scotland hosting Israel on Thursday the 26th, if successful Steve Clarke’s side will be away to Norway or Serbia on Tuesday March 31.
Celtic are scheduled to play St Johnstone at home on March 21- five days before the Israel match- but that game will be put back 24 hours if Celtic are successful in the Europa League Round of 32 match which would give them a Round of 16 match on Thursday March 19.
The post-split SPFL fixtures start on April 18 with the weekend of April 11/12 set aside for the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.
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It’s going to be difficult to do that, moving the fixtures. I think it’s a great opportunity now, I think it’s a good draw and they finished the campaign pretty well. Obviously, you are talking another two or three months down the line, things can change.
Later he added:
I don’t know how we change the fixture list with the way things are. There could be things in front that you can’t foresee (Scottish Cup replays and Europa League matches). I understand Steve (Clarke) wanting the best opportunity to progress. I think that everybody in the game in Scotland would want that but moving fixtures or shutting fixtures down, when would you be able to fit them in is the question? It might not be ideal for club football; you might have this interaction between club and country.
The SFA have still to request the postponement of fixtures but they have been aware of the March 26 date for a year.
In December Celtic have been given matches against Hibs on December 15, Hearts on the 18th then Aberdeen on the 21st. In the worst case scenario Clarke will be able to assemble his Celtic players on the evening of March 22 then have three full training days to prepare for Israel- a luxury that Lennon won’t have in the middle of December.